Essence Magazine:

From top left: Cooper Neill/Getty Images; Courtesy of subject; Jon Lopez; Melissa Rawlins/ESPN Images. Illustrations: Jyotirmayee Patra, illustration x/source files, Getty Images. By Shelby Stewart ·Updated February 4, 2025

This story first appeared in the 2025 January/February issue of ESSENCE, on stands now.

When you scan the

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